1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates in general to a retaining system or assembly, and more particularly, to a clip apparatus configured to retain objects. Among other uses, and while not being limited thereto, the clip apparatus of the present disclosure is well suited for the attachment of various structures in an automotive application, such as automobile headliners and accessories thereto.
2. Background Art
The use of attachment clips, especially in the automotive field comprise a spring steel pre-form which is manufactured in a progressive stamping die. The clip is attached by sheet metal screws to various automotive components and subsequently items are clipped thereto.
There have been some drawbacks to such a configuration. Specifically, the foregoing clips are often misaligned or have variations due to variations on the body. Thus, the coupling, or clipping, of structures to the prior art clips often requires excessive force. In certain assembly procedures, operators use mallets, hammers, weighted gloves or other means by which to impact additional force. Such excessive force can damage the clip structure.
The damage to the clip often degrades the retention abilities of the clip. Further, the clip portion often includes a plurality of clip legs, which can be damaged by the excessive force. Problematically, the clips have features and structures which form both the insertion and retention features. Such dual purpose components have deficiencies, as ultimately properties directed to insertion require compromises with respect to retention design and vice versa. Still further, the overall installation cost is rather expensive and requires a number of different components.